Fireproof safe



Oct. 16, 1928.

c. J. BATES, JR

FIREPROOF SAFE Filed July 30, 1926 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 IN EN' OR ATTORNEY C. J. BATES. JR

' FIREPROOF SAFE Oct. 16, 1928.

iled July 50, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet I I I I I I r I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I .I I I I I I I I I I I .1 I I I I I I I I I I I .I I I I I I .I I I I I I I I I I I u .I

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16,1928. i V UNITED STATES PATEN CHARLES J. BATES, an, or ENGL woon, new Jnn-snY, Assreiica T0 aria Mosnnn sern coMrANY, or HAMILTON, OHIO, A cozaronnrron on NEW YORK.

, FIREPROOIE SAFE.

Application filed July 30,

This invention relates to fireproof safes, and more particularly relates to rendering the safe more fireproof and heat-proof at the portions which surroundthe door opening.

It has been recognized that when a safe is subjected to the heat of a fire hazard cracks are apt to open through the'portions of the safe which are adjacent the door opening, and heat and flame following these cracks are conducted into the interior of .thesafe, to the damageof the contents thereof.

The principal object of my invention is to render the area of the safe about the door opening more fireproof; and to provide a construction which prevents the opening up of cracks when the safe is'subjected to a fire hazard. V

A further object of my invention is to pro-j ride a siinpleand' inexpensive construction, which enhances the fire-proof qualities of the safe.

Other objects of my invention-will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. i V

In accordance with my invention, I embed in the insulating material between the inner and outer walls of the safe, one or more metal plates, which extend from the front of the safe rearwardly to a point beyond the door opening. These plates are disposed on all sides of the door opening. lVhen these plates are present, any crack which tends to form in this area intermediate the inner and outer walls of the safe is intercepted by one of these plates, and any heat or flame which may enter such crack will be intercepted by the plate and will. be radiated and diffused over a wide area. Thus, these plates positively prevent heat or flame from being conducted by such cracks to the interior of the safe, and thus v the contents of the safe are protected.

In order that a clearerunderstanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and illustrating one possible embodiment of my .invention. Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view of the front portionof a safe embodying my invention, the center portion being broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the front portion of a safe embodying my invention. I

Referring to the drawing, the safe body comprises side walls 1 and 2, consisting of outer plates 3, inner plates 4, corner angle 1926 Serial Nd. 125,854.

irons 5, and jamb Walls 6. The space enclosed by these walls is filled with'suitable' insulating material 7, such as concrete.

The numeral 8 designates a conventional door seated in the door opening formed by the jamb walls 6. i

In accordance with the present invention, at each side of the door (including the top, a

bottom and two vertical sides) I embed in the insulating material 7 intermediate the walls 3 and 4-, a sheet of metal- 9, which extends from the front of the safe to a point wellbeyond the jamb. 1 The plates 9 together preferably completely surround the jamb forming, in effect, a metalliccollar, so that no matter where a crack opens inthe filling in this jamb area, such crack will be intercept-ed by one of the plates 9, and no heat may pass through this area to the jamb walls or to the interior of the structure. Thus, these plates form a continuous fireproof shield which completely surrounds the j amb of the safe.

These plates 9 may be flat, but preferably they are corrugated, as shown. They may be anchored to the front of'the safe by means of marginal flanges 10, which are welded to the front of the safe at any convenient place. For instance, as shown, the flanges 10 are Welded to the flange 11 of the corner angle irons 5.

It has been found that these plates 9. serve not only as means for preventing heat from penetrating through cracks which may form in the safe filling between the walls 3 or angle irons .5 and the plates, but also serve to tie the insulating material to the jamb walls. The maintaining of the insulating material close against the jamb walls also renders the structure more fireproof, since it prevents the formation of cracks or openings behind the jamb walls 6, through which heat might more easily find its way into the interior of the safe.

Another useful function of the plates 9 resides in the fact that, if the heat is suflicient to cause cracking of the insulating. material on both sides of the plates 9, the cracks formed on one side of the plates are not apt to align with the cracks on the other side of the plates, thus rendering the passing of heat completely through the safe walls more clifficult. The use of corrugated plates is very conducive to causing suck cracks to form in staggered relation, since these cracks are more T orrrcr..

apt to form where the insulation intermediate the wall and plate is of the smallest thickness. It will be readily apparent that when corrugated plates are used, the smallest distance between the plate 3 and the corrugations on the plate 9 is not in line with the shortest distance between the corrugations on the plate 9 and the wall 4 or jamb 6.

lVhen the fireproofing plates described are employed, the binding eifect on the insulating material is such that the usual wire mesh is not required.

It will be readily apparent from the above that a safe constructed in accordance with my invention has increased fireproof qualities, particularly at the front or jamb area thereof.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and as many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is 1. A safeof the character described, ineluding, in combination, jamb walls forming a door opening, inner walls connected to the inner ends of the amb walls, outer walls connected to the outer edges of the jamb *alls, insulating material between the outer walls and the inner and jamb walls, and a corrugated metallic collar embedded in said insulating material, said collar extending from adjacent the front edges of said jamb walls rearwardly thereof and con'lpletely surrounding said door opening, and so positioned as to distribute any cracks which may occur in said filling in the vicinity of said jamb walls.

2. A safe of the character described, in cluding, in combination, jamb walls forming a door opening, inner walls COllllOl'llGCl to the inner ends of the jamb walls, outer walls connected to the outer edges of the jamb walls, insulating material between the outer walls and the inner jamb walls, and a corrugated metallic collar embedded in said insulating material, said collar having flanged portions secured to said jamb walls and corrugated body portions extending rearwardly therefrom and completely urrounding said door opening, and so positioned as to distribute any cracks which may occur in said filling in the vicinity of said amb walls.

This specification signed this 29th day of July, 1926.

CHARLES J. BATES, JR. 

